Very simple. A) T.O. Was mot signing an autograph for a fan. He was signing one for his finantial advisor. He could have taken the ball, signed it off the field, and given it to him. That would have been totally different.As far as Emmit goes- taing a ball you scored a TD with is NOT grandstanding. He does not do it to make himself look better, he does it because he is proud to have scored, and he wants the damned ball. That is not about crowd appeal. I HATE the cowboys, but I have to admit the guy is probably one of the BEST players out there right now in terms of sprotsmanship- his celebrations are minimal, and the times he does stand out (retaliating against T.O. for the Dallas Star BS, for example), he is doing it to fire his team up, not to bask in the glory.Owens=punk brat who needs a reality check.

Don't get me wrong, I like Emmitt Smith, but I also have no probem with "grandstanding" or whatever you wanna call it. Still, how does Emmitt Smith's 150-football collection at home fire up his teammates? In fact, I'd say Emmitt's low-key celebrations would do LESS to fire up the team than T.O.'s often-times emotional celebrations. Not saying the autograph thing was emotional. And why is it that you can sign for family and fans but not business partners? And for all we know, Owens and the advisor could be good friends.

(edited by Redhawk1810 on 28.10.02 0248)"From this point on, I will prove that I am the best this bitchness has to offer, and if anybody wanna tempt ... test me, step to me like a man." -- Booker T

"Booker T, I know you don't want me; because it's obvious I beat your ass so bad you forgot where the barbershop was!" -- Scott Steiner

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE, dammit!On the field and off are completely different things. Who cares about Emmitt's football collection AT HOME? It is the attitude that is different. Excessive celebration the likes of TO is not to fire his team up, it is a huge "LOOK AT ME!" statement. If TO wants to sign an autograph for his finantial advision, take the ball, go sit ON THE BENCH and do it. Who cares what he does off the field? But on the field... have some damned dignity for crying out loud. It is YOUR JOB...

Well, for starters, Redhawk, he's auctioning off his entire collection of his memorabilia and donating the proceeds to charity.

Then again, I think football needs one or two people like TO. A league full of professionals who go about doing their job and are generally nice guys... well, it'd be boring. The NFL needs someone as extravagant as him. But "firing up his teammates" doesn't necessarily mean ridiculous touchdown celebrations. You can do that in other, less irritating ways.

Terell Owens isnt the only grandstander in the NFL. Owens is being singled out for his originilaty. Is what he did in Dallas and Seattle really any worse than Emmitt Smith waving bye-bye to defenders during a long TD run, or Deion Sanders high-stepping into the endzone, or Marcus Robinson making a "spanking" gesture after a TD catch, or how about EVERY DB in the league celebrating and pointing to themselves after a simple incompletion? To me, its all taunting.

Its part of a bigger problem in the league, and hey at least Owens is being creative.

"What do you mean 'Parts Unknown'? Are you telling me he doesn't have a social security number so we can track him down? How does he get a paycheck?" - G. Monsoon